Fresh fruits and vegetables all year round – for many, a given. But who harvests the produce that ends up in our shopping baskets every day? The Pickers sheds light on the often invisible workforce behind Europe’s agricultural industry: one million migrant workers who cultivate fields under precarious conditions in Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, and other countries. Without permanent contracts, often without papers or any social protection, they are defenseless against systematic exploitation. Their harsh daily reality – marked by starvation wages, inhumane housing, and extreme working conditions – is not an exception; it is the rule in a system driven by the demand for ever-cheaper food.
The film goes beyond mere indictment, however. It also documents the political fight for a Europe-wide supply chain law that would hold supermarkets more accountable, and shows that alternatives are possible: a cooperative in southern Italy demonstrates that fair production and dignified working conditions can be achieved.
“The Pickers” gives a voice to those who are often overlooked and raises pressing questions: What can consumers do? And what price are we willing to pay for our standard of living?

With a film education session offered by the University of Teacher Education Vienna